Proposal of Mr. Harrison for the application of part of the funds of the New England Company within the territories of the Hudson's Bay Company

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PROPOSAL

MR. HARRISON
APPLICATION OF PART OF THE FUNDS

Acw England Comparp

_ wes THE TERRITORIES or THE &)
HUDSON’S BAY COMPANY.

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PRINTED BY $, COSWELL, LITTLE QUEEN START, HOLBORN.
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- PROPOSAL,

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Is the territories\of the Hudson's. Bay Company
zn establishment fot the instruction of the Indians
might be formed with a prospect of more extensive
success than in any other part of the British domi-
nions in North America. In Canada there. are
already missionaries maintained at the expense of
Government, for the religious aud moral instruc-
tion of the-Indians within: that province. In
Nova Scotia and New Brunswick’ the Indian tribes

are almost extinct ;and-fothing remains of the ,

Aborigines but some scattered families of-yagrants,
among whom there is no opportunity for any ex~
tensive. improvement..: But in the territories of
the Hudson’s. Bay Company there are numerous
and-extensive Lribes; increasing in population, and
jn may respects possessed of those qualifications
_which fit them for advancing in the career of civi-
jization. a th. -
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The Hudson's Bey Company have always been
disposed to promote education among the natives ;
but their attention has been chiefly directed to the
children of hhalf-blood, reared abqut their facto-
ries, in consequence of the connexion of their
European servants with Indian women. Though
the Company have been liberal in affording oppor-
tunities of instruction to these children, it has
been left in a great degree ta the discretion of
their chief officers, and the object has not always
been equally attended to. More might certainly
have been accomplished, if there had been a sepa-
. rate fund specifically set apart for. the purposes of
education. Of the many attempts which have
been made by benevolent individuals and associa~
tions forthe civilization and instruction of. savages
~ dn various parts of the world, a very few. only
~ have succeeded; but by an attentive comparison
of the methods which have proved successful, and
of those which have failed, we may arrive at prin-
ciples which will serve as a sure guide in future un»
dertakings,

One very common cause. of failure has been,
the attempt to inculcate religious. and moral in-
struction, without a sufficient basis of the habits
of civilization. The Jesuits and other mission,
aries, by great ‘address and uncommon’ persever-
ance, have sometimes succeeded in persuading sax

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‘vage thibes to adopt the Christian religion ; but in
all cases .where' they have confined their attention
solely to this object, their instructions have prov-
ed to be completely superficial, and their prose-
lytes have relapsed into their otiginal ignorance
and idolatry the moment that the care of the
tnissionaries thas beet withdrawn or relaxed.

In those eases where attention has been paid to
ititroduce the improvements of civilized life as
well as the light of religion, many failures have
-drisen from an attempt to do too much at once, to
convert a set of complete savages immediately
into a civilized society. The children of Indians
‘ave in some instances béen taken from their pa-
"rents at an. early age, and have received a com:
plete European education; but these lads, upon
drriving at manhood, and returning among their
countrymen, hdve generally relapsed into all the
‘habits of savage life. In 2 few instances the re-
‘sult has been ‘different, but not more satisfactory.
‘An individual Indian, educated at great expense
and trouble, has remained among the European .
settlers, associating with them only, and in no
degree contributing to the progress of improve-
ment if among t the natives in -generah 7
a From these facts it _appears clear, that no ef-
fectual progress can be. made inthe civilization of
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the Indians, unless it be niade by a whole tribe |
together, or at Jeast by such 2 number as may
ferm 2 society among themselves, and, by the ef-
fect of mutual example, preserve the. improve-
ments which they hare a sequired. oe

Ina nation of wandering. honters, it would
serve little purpose to convert one of themintoa
complete farmer, while the rest-remain with their
habits unchanged. But if any. considerable num- _
ber can be induced to make an attempt at cultiva-
tion, even on the smallest scale, an important
point «vil be gained. ce

The natural . progress of civilization. has always
__ been very slow ;. and if we book, back to. the. early -
history of: the most distinguished: nations of .Eu-
rope, we find that they have advanced from bar-
barism to civilization by steps so minute, as to.be
almost imperceptible at the time, and that these
have succeeded each.other so gradually, as to oc-
-cupy centuries.. This progress may be accelerated
4n somedegree, but there is no probability of ;any
solid: benefit, unless we follow the order of nature.
Avery small, improvement, generally. diffused
among a whole .tribe of Indians, _and. firmly: esta-
blished by custom, will facilitate the introduction
of. farther improvements ; and thas.a great change
‘may be ultimately effected, though dn attempt to

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accomplish the whole at once could lead to nothing
but disappointment a and disgust. -

- OF ol the Protestants who have attempted the
introduction-of Christianity among. savage tribes,
the Moravians: have been among the most, suc-
cessful; arid their practice has approached. more
neatly to these principles than that of any other
tiissionaties.- -Another- very: feriarkable: itistance
of the-success ‘of thése’ principles is to be met
with in-the- benevolerit ‘exertions of the Quakers
of Philadelphia, not many years 6°: ‘among | the
Indians of the: Ohio. -

"The Indians: that ihabit the tefritories - of the
Hudson's Bay Comany’ dre: almost ‘all wandering
tribés; or scattered. families, that” subsist entirely
by hunting and fishirig; atid have no fixed habita-
tions. . From the precarious’ naturé “of their sab-
sistence,-familiés are’ frequently reduced’ to: the
greatest extremity of distress, and the- irregularity
of their vagabotid life is extremely unfavourable to
the formation of any good habits among the rising
generation. To a set of people in this state, the
most important of all’ improvements would ‘be,
to°"make them “apply to ‘the cultivation of the
ground,” so that they might: obtain a less preca+
rious - ‘sapply of prévisions. ‘This improvement
naturally leads to the establishment of fixed habit-

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ations; and thongh the men must be expected to
remain attached to. their accustomed pursuits of
hunting and fishing, their families will not only be
relieved from many immediate hardships, but the _

- greater regularity in their mode of life will afford_.

an opportunity for forming their children-to habits
of industry and steady application, which are. at-
terly unattainable by those who are brought up in
a completely vagabond life. The probable. effects
of .this change upon the moral improvement of
the Indians are:too evident to require illustration. oS

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With a view-to the practical accomplishment of
these objects, two different plans may be proposed.
One is, to employ missionaries to live among the
wandering Indians, to gain their confidence, and
to take every opportunity of persuading them to
adopt the practices which are of most. importance

_ to their welfare.. The other method is, to esta- .

blish a school, in which young Indians may be in-
structed, and then sent back among their parents ~

_ andfriends, ‘to practise the arts which they | have *

been, taught.

“In the comparison of these two methods much
argument might be used ; but the. most effectual

plan would undoubtedly be, a ‘combination of the ~

two. - In some. centrical. situation, ..where. provi=
sions may be most easily procured, a-school-should

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be’ established for the instruction of the youth,
and at the same time opportunities may be found ‘
to impress on the tribes at large a sense of the
importance of the objects recommended to them. .

~” The number of the Indians that can be received
in the school must of course depend on the amount

_ Of the fund that can be appropriated to the object:
Even though the number should be small, effects
of great consequence may be accomplished if a
judicious selection be made; for the'young men
who obtain the benefit of instruction will probably _
become leading ‘men in their respective tribes, and
their example may therefore have'a b vety ‘extensive
effect. - es

- In the education of these Indiaris the. course of
instruction thust be very different-fram ‘that of. an
ordinary school, and should approach more to. the ©
“system of a school of industry, in which agricul-
ture and the mechanic arts must be among the
principal objects. In guiding thé Indians towatds
the habit. of eivilized life, one of the. most. essen-.
tial requisites is, to excite among them:a general
desire for improvement: with this--view, the -in-.
struction of those who are placed-in the proposed
establishment must be directed to objects of which
the utility may be-evident to the rudest.savage... It
is of: great importance that | these young’ men;

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when they return to their parents and friends,
shonld be conspicuously superior: to those. who
have not had the benefit of instruction. . They
must not, therefore, be allowed to forget those
accomplishments of savage life, without which
they would be despised. They must be sent: back
possessed of as much dexterity: in hunting .and
fishing as their companions ; and their additional
acquirements should be such as are most likely. to
be valued. Reading or writing alone will gain bat
little credit to one of. these young men; but if he
has learned to mend a gun, he-will be highly re-
spected in his tribe, and others will become ant-
bitious of obtaining the same opportunities of im-
provement. The point of most essential import-
ance is to inure them, as far as possible, to habits
of foresight and persevering industry ; and to ‘give
them practical experience of the facility of culti-
vating the ground, ‘as well as the great advantages
of the practice. ae

The English language should be a prinvary ob:
ject ;-both as it will serve asa vehicle for farther
instruction; and as it will furnish .a common ‘me-
dium of communication between the Indians of
different nations, and thereby tend, in a great de=
free,’ to obviate their dissensions : nothing indeed
could have so‘much effect.in ‘softening their ani-
Mosities, as the institution of a school, in which

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Indian boys, of every different language, will be
led to associate as companions.. With this riew,
itis a fortunate cirenmstance, that the various na-
tions of Indians in the territories of the Hudson's
Bay Company ere, at present, generally in a state
of peace ; and though they entertain strong preju-
dices against each cther, no violent hostilities pre-
vail, except among some of the remotest of the
tribes. |

To the acquisition of the English language, may
be added reading, writing, with the first elements
of arithmetic; but it may be a question, whether
it would be prudent to press too much ‘this course
of: instruction. It mast be. kept in mind, that
among these Indians the youth are scarcely accus-
tomed to the.smallest degree of restraint. from
their parests,.and it would hardly. be possible to
make them submit to that sort of :controul which
‘ 3s exercised over children in our schools.——Much
address must, therefore, he used. te.induce them
to give a willing attention to the objects of pri-
mary importance.;. and it.would be dangeraus to
‘make too severe a demand upon their patience.
Their .exertions. must be, kept alive by the attrac-
tion of novelty, and by. great variety m-. their oc-
-ctrpations. ; Of sedentary study,:a very small por-
tion only, can be ventured....No object.of exer-
tion should be pursued .so far at. one tine,.33-to

bared

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disgust them, and weary their half-formed habité
of attention; and it will be necessary to indulge
them with large intervals of recreation, to be em-
ployed in their accustomed pursuits of hunting
and fishing. On the other hand, as it is desirable
to extend the benefits of instruction to as great a
number of the Indian youth as possible, no long
period can be allowed to each individual—and that
period ought not to be dissipated, by attempting
too many objects at once. Upon the points of
most essential consequence, all the progress that
can be expected, may perhaps be gained in the
‘course of one year, or two at the utmost, if. the
efforts of the teachers be concentrated upon the
primary objects only. Withaview to more com- |
plete instruction to qualify them.as missionaries
or teachers, 2 few lads of promising abilities may,
at the discretion of the master, be kept at school
for a longer time: the number of this description
must be very limited, or it would interfere with the
extensive benefits proposed by the institution.

Tt must be evident that the management of such
-an_ institution will require talents of a very differ- -
-ent class from those of an ordinary schoolmaster.
Much of. the success of the plan will depend on
-its being intrusted to a man fully qualified for the
task, and the salary. ought, therefore, to be lt
-beral. . A knowledge of the languages spoken by

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the Indians in these territories would be a desl:
rable qualification ; but it is not to.be expected
that this should be found combined with the other
more essential requisites. A man who is zealous
in the undertaking, may soon acquire a sufficient
acquaintance with these dialects ; and in the mean
time, he must have the assistance of subordinate
teachers, who are familiar with the Indian lan-
‘guages. Fit. persons for this purpose may be
found among the more elderly of the servants of
the Hudson’s Bay Company, who have Jong resid-
.ed among these Indians: such mén may be em-
ployed, not only as assistant teachers in the school,
but also to visit the wandering tribes, and to call
‘their attention to the utility of the improvements
recommended to them. In process of time,.it
may perhaps be advisable to’ employ missionaries
to reside constantly among the natives ; but in the
outset, occasional visits may be sufficient; espe-
cially as the officers at the Company’s trading posts
would have some influence in persuading them to
commence the cultivation of the ground.

The children of the Company’s European ser-
vants cannot be received as free scholars on the
proposed establishment; but considerable advan-
tages may arise, if a school for their instruction
he connected with the Indian establishment.
Most of ‘the children’of half blood-are acquainted

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both with the English language, and with the dia-
lect of some native tribe; so that they may save
a great part of the expense of interpreters, and
may. be employed, according to the new systems
of education, in the office of monitors. The
parents of these children will pay for their board
and education, and the annnal. premium may . be
fixed at such a rate, as will, in some degree, ex-
ceed the expense. “The profit which will thus
“accrue to the master, will render it the more easy
to find a person of -adequate a abilities to undertake
that important charge.

Taking into consideration this additional source
of emolument, and other facilities, which the Hud-
.son’s Bay Company have the means of procuring
to the establishment, it is probable, that if a-regu-
lar fund of five or six hundred pounds a year can
be appropriated to the object, this may-be sufficient
both to afford adequate salaries to the master and -
assistants ; and also to defray the charge of main-
‘taining constantly from twenty to thirty Indian
boys and girls on the establishment, But as the
expenses cannot as yet be ascertained with minute
exactness, it’ will be most prudent to begin with
.a smaller number of scholars, and extend the spale

by degrees. Co ee

If the Company for the Propagation of the Gos.
pel in New England, and parts adjacent, wall allot

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a proportion of their funds to such en institution,
the Hudson’s Bay Company will become respon-
sible that the sum allowed (whether it be more or
Jess) shall be laid out.in the most economical
manner, and that the expenses to be incurred, -
shall not exceed the limits which may be assigned.
Their confidential officers shall be charged to give
all the assistance in their power, both in for-
warding the object in general, and in superintend-
ing the application of the money which may be al-
lowed, without making any charge against the
fund for their trouble in this management.

The Hudson’s Bay Company will also appro-
priate a piece of land for the use of the establish-
‘ment, and will Gndertake to provide the buildings
that. are necessary for its accommodation. And
- whenever any disposition is evinced by the Indians .
to settle in a fixed habitation, or even in part to
support themselves by cultivating the ground, al-

‘ Jotments of land, well adapted for the purpose,
will be made to them by the Hudson’s Bay Com-*
pany, and every facility afforded.

THE END.

S. Gosnell, Printer,
cic n= feftle Queen Street, Londen,